Warning SARS threat could ‘paralyse’ Aust hospitals

A dire warning today for Australia with health authorties being told that if there is a major outbreak of SARS here our hospitals will be “paralysed”. The warning comes from an Australian doctor who has just returned from Hong Kong.

A dire warning today for Australia with health authorties being told that if there is a major outbreak of SARS here our hospitals will be “paralysed”. The warning comes from an Australian doctor who has just returned from Hong Kong.Compere: Tony JonesReporter: Lisa UptonLISA UPTON: Dr Peter Cameron is in self-imposed isolation in Melbourne.He’s just returned from Hong Kong – a city in the grip of SARS.DR PETER CAMERON, PHYSICIAN: I’ve got to say it’s one of the most frightening things I’ve ever had to deal with in the health system.And what makes it more frightening, I guess, certainly for us in the first instance, was we weren’t actually sure what we were dealing with.LISA UPTON: Peter Cameron says Australian hospitals would not cope if there was a major outbreak of SARS here, particularly if 20 per cent to 30 per cent of patients needed intensive care.Dr Cameron’s concerns are detailed in the latest ‘Medical Journal of Australia’.He says: “If a cluster of 200 cases occurred in Melbourne or Sydney, there would be little likelihood of finding 50 ICU beds at short notice.”DR PETER CAMERON: Most health systems can deal with 100 or 200 extra patients, but if you’ve got 50 or 100 extra ICU patients that would basically paralyse any health system.PROFESSOR RICHARD SMALLWOOD, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER; It’s a well-taken point, but States and Territories are all giving attention to this and developing contingency plans.So I don’t think it’s a concern to the degree that Peter does.LISA UPTON: Health authorities in NSW say that, in the event of a major SARS outbreak, they’ll implement a special disaster plan drawn up prior to the Sydney Olympics.But they concede that if large numbers of Australians are infected with SARS, it won’t be easy to deal with.DR JEREMY McANULTY, NSW HEALTH: There’s no doubt there would be a stress on the system, but the whole concept of the disaster plan is to be able to bring resources to where they’re required in a fairly short-term period.LISA UPTON: Health authorities remain optimistic that Australia will remain relatively unscathed by SARS, but insist they’re not being complacent.PROFESSOR RICHARD SMALLWOOD: We’re also thinking very carefully about the sorts of measures that might be needed for quarantining possible SARS cases.LISA UPTON: Last week, Australian authorities reported three probable cases of SARS to the World Health Organisation.Another four possible cases remain under investigation.(Source: ABC, 22/4/2003, Lisa Upton, Lateline)